Are you wondering why a chicken or, more precisely, a rooster has pride of place on the front cover.? Let me explain. We all know that the rooster is one of the best ‘wake up calls’ around and, as we race towards the New Year, this issue of the IBE magazine shows that there is much to wake up to.

Just as we ring in 2017, we will know the identity of the next IBE President, Secretary General and Treasurer, with the other rounds of elections following soon after. By the end of January, we will know which Letters of Intent will have been chosen to be supported by the next round of Promising Strategies funding.

In early February we will celebrate International Epilepsy Day and we hope that even more chapters will celebrate the day in 2017. Already the art competition is proving popular and we have some cute new videos using our mascot, Campi the seahorse, to promote it. Catch him and his friends on Facebook and Twitter! Approval of the Strategic Plan 2016-2019 is nearing completion, and will provide the roadmap for IBE’s future direction.

In closing, I would like to mention another reason for choosing a rooster for the cover. When our Chinese friends begin celebrating their own important New Year, they will welcome in the Year of the Rooster whose personality is deemed to be observant, hardworking, resourceful, courageous and honest – qualities that IBE also strives to maintain. Happy New Year to you all!

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The International Bureau for Epilepsy (IBE) was established in 1961 as an organisation of laypersons and professionals interested in the medical and non-medical aspects of epilepsy. The IBE addresses such social problems as education, employment, insurance, driving licence restrictions and public awareness.